University News

The Co-operative University of Kenya on 11th August signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Industrialization and Enterprise Development on strategic partnership and capacity building. Speaking during the signing of the MOU, the PS MoIED Dr. Wilson Songa said this would serve as the new begging to catapult the co-operative movement in Kenya to clinch the best position globally. He noted the mandate of the Co-operative university college of Kenya was key to economic growth in training over 16,000 co-operative and Sacco societies countrywide. Dr. Songa reiterated that a sector controlling over Kshs. 500 Billion in the economy need to be run more professionally than ever before, a role he said the University College must take as an obligation. The Principal of The Co-operative University College of Kenya Prof. Douglas Shitanda marked that the co-operative movement and the university have in history worked closely and that the signing of the MOU will cement this relationship to the best. Dr. Gladys Mwiti, the chairman of the university college council reiterated the strong support from the council in supporting initiatives to strengthen the co-operative movement in the country. She remarked that this is one of the most progressive documents that will be taken seriously to rep maximum benefits from both sides of the parties. THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING (MOU) is intended to set out an arrangement for establishing and maintaining a partnership between the Ministry of Industrialization and Enterprise Development (MOIED) and the Co-operative University College of Kenya (CUCK) whose aim is the development of the Co-operative movement through training, joint activities, exchange of information, consultancy, research and related development, and any other areas that may be agreed upon from time to time. The objectives of this Memorandum of Understanding are; To provide technical expertise and co-operation in specific areas to be mutually agreed upon; To encourage sharing of information and exchange visits between CUCK lecturers and officers of the MOIED in the areas to be mutually agreed upon; To undertake joint research, innovation and development activities as and when necessary; CUCK to provide training facilities for MOIED as and when requested for local and International Government trainees on terms to be mutually agreed upon from time to time; MOIED to provide student industrial experience through internship; To work on values, andragogical model and technical assistance required by clients to rejuvenate, transform and enhance their service, profitability and sustainability; To transfer, benchmark and disseminate modern co-operative business models for best practices; To undertake value addition training and methodologies for improved productivity and income generation; To enhance Local, County, National and International networking and partnership building for the benefit of the parties and the country at large; To undertake initiatives that may influence policy formulation for the Co-operative movement.

The co-operative university college of kenya led by the ag. Principal prof. E.N. Gicheru, prof. G. Kihoro joined the students, parents and teachers of Kihome secondary school in Othaya on Saturday 22nd march for the school’s prize giving day. The chief guest was prof. G. Kihoro of CUCK and the guest of honor was prof. E.N. Gicheru.

On the 9th of March 2014 the Co-operative University of Kenya participated in the Beyond Zero Campaign by taking part in the First Lady’s marathon. The members of staff and students of Co-operative University led by the P.R.O Mr. Francis Mwongela took part in the ten Kilometer race. The marathon was aimed at raising funds for the provision of mobile medical clinics to all the 42 counties in the country. Laughs and smiles graced the faces of the participants and was replaced by pride after they completed the race. The Campaign managed to raise Kshs 200 million which will be used in the acquisition of mobile medical clinics. We are now one step ahead towards the achievement of zero maternal deaths.

CUCK students took on the Kibera slums  primary schools for a reading campaign in bid to promote and encourage  the young children into academic excellence. The exercise was  spearheaded by CUCK’s Librarian and Public relations office.

The Co-operative University College of Kenya (CUCK) through its corporate arm Agri and Co-operative Training and Consultancy services (ATC) Limited in collaboration with SACCO Societies Regulatory Authority (SASRA), MicroSave and the Financial Sector Deepening (FSD Kenya) have developed premier courses in, individual lending including delinquency management and risk management to address core capacity gaps identified in a survey conducted amongst select Deposit Taking SACCOs in 2013. This is as part of on-going SACCO reforms project being implemented by SACCO Societies Regulatory Authority (SASRA) in partnership with Financial Sector Deepening (FSD Kenya) to support the sub-sector meet requirements in the SACCO societies Act (2008) and its regulations as identified in a SACCO sub-sector core skills gap survey conducted in 2013. The two courses are scheduled to run concurrently from 17-21st February, 2014. Participation certificates will be issued to successful trainees.Licensed deposit-taking SACCOs are invited to sponsor participants in both or either of the courses: Delinquency management and individual lending. Course objective: To assist SACCOs in strengthening individual lending administration and management, and delinquency management. Target Group: Chief Executive Officers, Credit Managers/Heads and Finance Managers. Risk management. Course objective: To help SACCOs to better manage critical business and operational risks for improved profitability and compliance with the regulations.Target Group: Chief Executive Officers, Internal Auditors and Finance Managers. Each course will run for 5 days and will cost KSh 45,000 per participant for non-residents including VAT, stationary, teas and lunch. The total cost including accommodation and VAT is KSh 63,000. The two training programmes shall take place at the CUCK’s Co-operative Retreat and Conference Centre (CRCC) in Karen. The first 20 applicants in each course will benefit from a KSh 15,000 scholarship from FSD Kenya. SACCOs that sponsor participants to these courses may recoup some of the cost of training from the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA) as the CUCK and ATC are registered with NITA. The training fees should be paid to Agri and Co-operative Training and Consultancy Services (ATC) Ltd, A/c No 111-022-66-59 at the KCB, Karen Branch by 5th February, 2014. Application forms can be obtained from www.atc.co.ke and www.invigorate-strategies.com/cuck. Further information can be obtained on telephone 020-2325498 or 0720564169. Completed applications should be submitted to info@atc.co.ke by 4:00 pm on Wednesday 5th February, 2014.

The Co-operative University College of Kenya wishes to congratulate the 341 graduands who will be awarded diplomas and certificates on 6th December 2013. the Chief guest will be by Prof. Geoffrey Moriaso Ole Maloiy, MBS, EBS Chancellor Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology

Dear new students, It is my pleasure to welcome you to the Premier Co-operative University in Africa; we are the most specialized institution of higher learning offering Co-operative Education in Kenya and pioneering in the Eastern Africa region for over half a century now. This indeed, is the University of Quality Choice. I am delighted that The Co-operative University College of Kenya is growing at a standard and anticipated rate in terms of students’ population and infrastructural development since its inception on 4th November 2011 as a Constituent College of JKUAT; as a college training on areas of co-operatives, we started way back in 1952 as the east African school of co-operation. Hitherto, we are growing strong and moving forward.As freshmen and women joining the Co-operative University College of Kenya, feel free, feel at home. We are happy you chose us to shape your careers among thousands of universities in the World. You are well aware that universities are centers of excellence. Ours is not only a centre of excellence abut over and above all our VISION STATEMENT is very clear; we yearn to be a leading global University in training, research and innovation for Co-operative development. We are moved and motivated by our MISSION STATEMENT; To provide innovative education, training, research, consultancy services for sustainable community empowerment. Our core values are apparent:• Equity• Honesty• Integrity• Professionalism• Quality and excellence• TeamworkI wish to reiterate that to be iconic in excellence, conscience, hard work are core. I invite you to join the family of the co-operative university college of Kenya in pursuit to a co-operative family. We shall offer to you the best of the best to our ability. I am moved to believe your dreams shall come true if you remain faithful to them.As you are aware, we are a constituent college of JKUAT. I wish to reiterate that we are in the final stages of being awarded a charter to become a fully fledged public university. This will happen in due time. The Commission for University Education has done inspection and their report is a positive mark towards our goal.Above all we continue to directly and indirectly, or in collaboration with other institutions of higher learning, facilities for University education (including vocational, professional and scientific education), the integration of teaching, research and effective application of knowledge and skills to the life, work and welfare of the citizens of Kenya. In this, we flex our muscles to participate in the discovery, transmission and preservation and enhancement of knowledge and to stimulate the intellect participation of students in the economic, social, cultural, scientific and technological development of Kenya.The Co-operative University College of Kenya has four campuses; two of them, Meru and Nairobi headed by Directors and Mombasa campus headed by an acting co-ordinator. The main campus in Karen is the headquarters. CUCK has one institute, the institute for Co-operative Development, Research and Extension (ICDRE); housed in main campus. We have a directorate of computing and e-learning housed in main campus and headed by Prof. J.M. Kihoro; in charge of e-Learning and computing. The Co-operative University College of Kenya has transformed itself to an institution of excellence in teaching, training, scholarship, entrepreneurship, innovation, research and consultancy services; our corporate commercial arm Agri and Co-operative Training and Consultancy services (ATC) Limited has led the market scale in this venture. Through this channel we have been able to use to participate in commercial ventures and other activities to the benefit of the institution, the community and stakeholders.As University students’ you are expected to conduct yourselves maturely. Your discipline ought to be right. There might be some few challenges here and there for all of us. We need to learn to dialogue whenever such an occasion may arise. I wish to advise you to watch your health and especially your diet. You need energy to work hard in class.The Co-operative University College of Kenya is a drug free zone. Learn to keep your goals right on entertainment; indulge not in alcoholism and other forms of drug and substance abuse. Irresponsible sexual behavior especially is immoral during these dangerous times of sexually transmitted diseases; the consequences of such are fatal.I am confident that The Co-operative University College of Kenya is committed to provision of quality Co-operative Education, Training, Research and Consultancy, and we will continue as before to meet our customers’ expectations to the letter.Our campuses in Nairobi’s CBD, Mombasa and Meru are taking great strides and this is a commendable job. It once again gives our glimpse towards attaining a fully fledged university status in the coming few days.We shall, as before forge ahead to make The Co-operative University College of Kenya a home for us all. It is therefore our core mandate to operate within our open door policy and service to all. Once again welcome to The Co-operative University College of Kenya, the University of Quality Choice. Once again, welcome to CUCK, make it your home. Every day, make sure you do something for your University. Prof. (Eng.) Douglas ShitandaPrincipal of The Co-operative University College of Kenya.